Asexuality - or at least the number of articles about it - is growing. Read the article in the smh.com.au or go to the website Asexuality.org
Asexuality is the new sex, according to New Scientist, which late last year reported on recent studies claiming that about 1 per cent of the population just isn't interested - ever - while a major study in the US in 1994, The Social Organisation of Sexuality by Edward Laumann et al, showed that 13 per cent of respondents hadn't had sex in a year and 2 per cent of the adult population had never had it at all. Seems we'd rather sleep than bonk nowadays.
There's even an emergent asexuality pride movement, the Asexual Visibility and Education Network (www.asexuality.org), which flogs merchandise online, including G-strings sporting the logo: "It's only underwear. Get over it."
In Our Thoughts And Prayers
Why is it that companies, leaders of countries and just about anyone expressing "formal sorrow" says: in our thoughts and prayers?
I never hear anyone expressing their corporate "thoughts and prayers" coming up to an AGM, or when their agressive layoffs cut thousands of workers at once. Neither have I heard a government start its budget speech with a call for guidance for the almighty, and I have yet to see a political billboard that says "Pray For Us" - although maybe ACT should consider it.
But Football In The Groin Has Football In The Groin
The Bernie Mac Show is kinda a new low in Sunday night entertainment. A show is usually struggling when an entire episode hangs on genital injury (pun intended).
Posted by phreq at July 24, 2005 11:10 AM | TrackBackThat article is mixing asexuality and celibacy isn't it? It says that 1% of the population is asexual and then that 13% of people surveyed haven't had sex in a year as if that backs it up. They seem like separate things to me.
Posted by: Emba at July 25, 2005 10:49 AMCelibacy is usually more of a choice. Haven't had sex in a year might describe many singles who choose not to have casual sex, as well as people who don't have any opportunities, as well as old married couples, and people who hate each other.
I agree it's not the best statistic. I just thought the 1-2% that never experience sexual urge is interesting. See, I don't find guys attractive sexually, but I can fall in love with their personality. Women I am attracted to physically, but I've never had a relationship with a chick. I don't get aroused until sex is intitiated. If I'm not in a realationship, I don't seek casual sex and I don't really miss it. But I don't think that makes me asexual, because I do experience desire and attraction, just not particularly for actual sex. closeness, curves, light and texture. Gentle touching from a person I feel safe with that knows me inside and out and accepts it completely. Hard to find.
Confusing.
I agree that asexuality is an interesting concept. I just didn't like the fact it was reported as if you hadn't had sex for a year you were therefore asexual!
It would be interesting to find out more about that 1-2% though. Why they weren't interested etc.
Posted by: Emba at July 26, 2005 08:24 PMcould argue that there are lots of activities which the majority find enjoyable that some individuals don't: drinking, reading, role-playing, exercising, smoking etc etc. most of them elicit either a physical and/or emotional response that is deemed favourable by the participant, but not everyone is going to find said activity pleasurable. i've heard from many different sources for e.g. that strenuous exercise leads to almighty endorphin rush - but i still can't get excited about jogging.
my point is, i don't think the 1-2% are unusual, and there's probably a fair few ppl out there who only have sex cos society has told them it's something you 'do' if you're a grownup, but who don't necessarily enjoy or care for it.
Posted by: Zephfi at July 27, 2005 12:24 AMI agree about the 1-2% thing. The bizarre thing is that asexuality is listed as a psychiatric disorder (hypoactive sexual arousal disorder or something) in the DSM - just as homosexuality was 20 years ago!